1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to adapter assemblies for use with an electromechanical surgical system and their methods of use. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to hand-held, electromechanical surgical instruments capable of detecting a presence of a loading unit and/or identifying one or more parameters of a loading unit attached to an adapter assembly.
2. Background of Related Art
Linear clamping, cutting, and stapling surgical devices may be employed in surgical procedures to resect tissue. Conventional linear clamping, cutting, and stapling devices include a handle assembly, an elongated shaft and a distal portion. The distal portion includes a pair of scissors-styled gripping members, which clamp about the tissue. In this device, one or both of the two scissors-styled gripping members, such as the anvil portion, moves or pivots relative to the overall structure. The actuation of this scissoring device may be controlled by a grip trigger maintained in the handle.
In addition to the scissoring device, the distal portion may also include a stapling mechanism. One of the gripping members of the scissoring mechanism includes a staple cartridge receiving region and a mechanism for driving the staples up through the clamped end of the tissue against the anvil portion, thereby sealing the previously opened end. The scissoring elements may be integrally formed with the shaft or may be detachable such that various scissoring and stapling elements may be interchangeable.
A number of surgical device manufacturers have developed product lines with proprietary drive systems for operating and/or manipulating the surgical device. In many instances the surgical devices include a reusable handle assembly and a disposable loading unit or the like that is selectively coupled to the handle assembly prior to use and then disconnected from the handle assembly following use in order to be disposed of or in some instances sterilized for re-use.
A need exists for various types of adapter assemblies that communicate relevant information to a handle assembly upon a proper engagement of a loading unit with a handle assembly.